COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Donation from Hannaford Supermarkets benefits student food pantry at Troy High School
A recent donation from Hannaford Supermarkets continues to support the operation of a pantry designed to increase access to healthy and nutritious food for students at Troy High School during a time of significant community need.
The pantry at Troy High School is the result of an overall $296,000 donation to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York announced by Hannaford in November 2019 to support the establishment of food pantries in numerous schools throughout New York state as part of its “Fuel
Kids at School” program.
Designed to serve as a vital and convenient resource to students and families in need, the inschool pantries are dedicated spaces where students can select food they enjoy based on their preferences and cooking abilities to provide nourishment both during and after the school day.
“When we first announced this donation last year, we never could have imagined the challenges that 2020 would bring for our local schools,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Vice President of Retail Operations Todd Bullen. “Now more than ever, these school pantries fulfill a critical need for students and their families. We commend the teachers, staff and volunteers at Amsterdam High School and the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York for their dedication to establishing such a successful pantry program for their students.”
Since its inception in November 2019, the pantry at Troy High School has supported approximately 70 students with more than 350 bags of food, which are either brought home or delivered on a weekly basis. Students in need are confidentially referred to the program by school staff. Family members can also elect to participate in the program via a form on the school’s website.
Troy High School continued to provide students in need with access to the pantry during the COVID-19 mandatory closure earlier this year. Prior to the closure, students participating in the program were provided with three contacts they could reach out to for food and necessities during the shutdown. Staff also dropped off food to students’ homes on a regular basis. Students continuing to learn remotely have the option to schedule food pickups at the school or deliveries directly to their home.
“We are overjoyed to be celebrating one year of providing nutritious food to our students through the Fuel Kids at School program. With all the uncertainty that this recent pandemic has brought about, it is reassuring and reaffirming that we are able to provide such an important resource to our families and [the] Troy community. We cannot thank Hannaford and the Regional Food Bank enough for all of their assistance in this project,” said Troy High School Social Worker Danielle Neri.
Troy High School works with the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York to stock the pantry for its students with shelf- stable, simple to prepare staple items, such as breakfast bars, tuna, spaghetti sauce, pasta, cereal and fruit.
“We at the Regional Food Bank are so thankful for Hannaford’s unwavering support to making sure children in our community have the food they need to learn, grow and thrive,” said Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York Director of Children’s Programs Betsy Dickson. “This critical program allows students to select the food they need in a safe, trusted environment. In this time of uncertainty, the flexibility of the program has allowed us to reach more students and provide more food to help families make ends meet. Hannaford’s commitment to the school pantry program underscores their dedication to making a difference in the communities we serve.”
The Fuel Kids at School program is designed to directly address food insecurity and improve access to fresh and healthy food in schools through an overall $1 million commitment from Hannaford Supermarkets to food banks in New York and New England.